Means for determining time intervals in telephone systems.



G. BLAUVBLT. MEANS FR 'EYIING TME INTERVALS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

Awmcwlo" FILED m9151911.

farmed @an I @WAM Il f LB sraffrns *Partnr orme y, p

WILLIAM e. stauvnnr, or New Yann, n. assienjos, so Annuleer: annessione ann coureur, a conronarron or newr Yoan.

MEANS FGI@ EETEMHNING Ih? TELEPHNESYSTE.

tirarse.

n ments in Means forletermining rllime ln- -tcrvais 1n Telephone Systems,.ot which the following is a specification.`

ln telephone systems it may be desirable to cause the operation oit a mechanism for a delinitc interval of time or similarly prevent a mechanism for acting. l? or example, one may wish to provide a periodsuflicient for associated mechanisms to attain a certain condition, or to produce :t signal continued for a predetermined ,time and discontinued before some other lined time.. l have chosen to illustrate the present invention in connection with the first named application, the specific embodiment disclosedbeing for the purpose of delaying the action .of release mechanism (or it may be considered as continuing the action of retaining mechanism) or" an automatic line selecting switch for such an interval that a! trunk; line to which it is'connected will be guarded" until mech.,- nism at the opposite extremity of the trunk shall have returned to normal. Moregener# ically, however, the invention consists in the cooperation between a time mechanism and a circuit controlling mechanism" which Tvill lead to the action of the latter at deter-. minable intervals'. n

T he accompanying drawing illustrates this invention diagrammatically andas applied to a manual-automatic telephone sys tem.

The line L of a telephone substation A leads to a switching device at a central station C, said switching device being here illustrated as a jaclrd withw'hich cooperates" plug l? at the answering endojl a 'cord or connecting circuit c. Current 1s supplied to the cord circuit from a battery B bridged across themain conductors L1, L2 through theusual .repeating 'coil r. es is customary, the battery has one pole grounded, vand though hereafter, for convenience in tracing the circuits', other batteries are referred. to by dialer-ent reference characters, in practice but one would be employed.- t the opposite or calling end ofthe cord is an automatic selector of any convenient form, with its brushes and terminating the cord con- Specication of Letters Patent.y

ratesteaoeaev, ieri. l

application filed may e, 1911. Serial No. 624,971.

ductors and traveling over a series of fixed contacts This selector is vmerely shown conventionally, having a suitable 'motor magnet vlul by which the 'bruslres are advanced over Atheir contacts, controlled in any desired manner. `Such selecting switches are conunon and do not call 'for .particular description. Mechanism is providedto retain the brushes, upon the selected contacts or terminals, this appearing as a pawl it moved mtoengagement with a ratchet Wheel itl, upon the` selector shaft by a magnet H, which when energized. acts as -a retaining means and when deenergized as a releasing means.

IThe contacts :t ycorresponding to the brushes b* and ZF are shown as joined to the outgoingentremity of a two conductor trunlr L, LT, leading, for example, to another selector situated vat the incoming end of the trunk in a distant 'oliice; but this selector is not illustrated, there: being vshown only a release mechanism y.consisting of a relay R, which .we may consider as adapted upon its denergization to open thecircuit of theretaining means of its selector or otherwise cause said selector to return to normal. Such an eX- p'edient is Y Well known `in automatic practice. 'Ac third brush If of vthe selector S has only a local connection, testing for Iits set the idle or busy condition of the trunks. This ditlerenee in `,condition may be characterized by the existenceat the third or test contact 1i of aground normally present thereon, or by a battery B1A applied tothe test contactby some one of 'the associated selectors S ofother cord circuits through the multiplevl. The particular testing means forms no part of my invention, and will notbe further discussed. In the'third. conductor L3 of thecord is a relay R1, the purpose of. whichryvill later appear. v

Associatcdwvith the cord circuit c is 'an automatic switching mechanism E, the ar. rangement and functions oi` whieh"will'de pend upon the requirements of the'systemof which itis a. part, but which, in anyevent, is adapted lto assume successive controlling positions in regular sequence. 4 lnthe present' instance, it is employed solely as a means for governing the retentionvand release of the selector apparatus, and for Vthis purpose it consists of a shaft (l upon which is lined' a series of cams e, the peripheries of which' cooperate with springs fto force them against cluding a motor magnet m actuating ratchet mechanism. Thepulsator p supplies intermittent current from [a battery or other source B2 of electrical energy through a' conductor l0 to the motor magnet m, and thus rotates the shaft whenever its circuit is completed at' one of the contacts of the-sequence switch D to ground or other return conductor.v T is ground connection maybe at some external point or local to the switching A mechanism itself, the cam e1 controlling the latter condition and determining the correct stopping points of the switch shaft. When thespri'ng f1 coperating with this cam is separated from the contact g1, this being in the positions indicated by the .numerals placed at theV opposite side of the spring from the contact, the projection 11 of said spring lies in a depression 12 in the periphery ot the cam, and the shaft with the associated cams is properly positioned. Upon the completion of the circuit'of themotor magnet m at some point'in the system, the projection rides out of the depression, and when resting upon elevations of the cam e1 closes a local circuit for the motor magnet from ground through the contact g1 and spring f1 to conductor 10, which insures the` rotation of .the shai't to the next position.. at which the cams are to stop, regardless ot' external conditions. The numerals applied to the contacts of the remaining cams show the positions in which said contacts are lclosed. Of the other cams ci theswitch D,

c2 has its contact g2 united to the front contact 1 3 of relay R1 by a conductor 14 and its contact g2 to the back contact 15 of said relay by a conductor 16. The springf" of the cam e? is grounded. Spring f3 of cam e3 is also joined to ground, While its contact g3 is connected through the retaining andrelcase magnet H of the selector S to battery B8. ,Springs f* and f5 and contacts g4 and gs of cams e4, e govern the continuity of the cord conductors Ll and L2, respectively. A conductor 18 leads from the armature 19 of relay R1 to the springs f1 and f of cams c1 and c. The contacts y, gm of cam c 'are connected by conductors 21 and 2O to brushes e", i2, cooperating with a rotatable cylinder i of a time mechanism in the form of a current intcrrupter I. The surface of the cylinder has alternate narrow metal segments c,

` which are grounded, and relatively Wide insulating segments z". The brushes so rest upon the cylinder that they successively contact with the segments 4, but never simultaneously. The cylinder is rotated at a cone' etant definite speed which is so chosen, and the brushes and segments so spaced, that the -ground connection will be alternately ap- Considering the eiect of the system, the

operator having received a call from substation A, answers by inserting the plug P of a cord c in the jack J., Relay R1 is en crgized in series with the rcutotl' relay of the callingl line L, and at its contact 1 3 completes a circuit from battery B2l and pulsator p' to ground through conductors 10` 1S and 14 and contact g2 and spring f2 of the sequence switch, contact g2 being closed in tlieffirst or normal position. The' resulting current impulses' cause ythe switch to take its second position, in which contacts g2", g3, y* and g5 are completed, the circuit ot' g2 being open at Contact 15 of relay El.

Contact g3 prepares the selector S for operation by ciicrgizing'the magnet H by current from Battery lis and thus applying the l retaining pawl It.. Contacts y", y, close the cord conductors through from'l the plug -l" to the selector S, and the operator may nowj actuate suitable mechanism to start the s e lectorin 'itshunt for a non-busy trunk and to control the other apparatus of the sele'clill) tive chain, so that the line ofthe desired,4

suliscriher may be connected with. Then the conductors L1, L2 are completed at the sequence switch contacts, and a trunk, as L, L2, selected, current 'from battery B lion-'s out over said trunk und energizcs the release relay R-at the distant or incoming end. The trunk is now guarded against appropriation by the selectors of other cords bvbattery B put upon its test terminal by' the' si lector rbrush Z13. The operator, 'upon being notified of the completion of the con'n rersation, withdraws the plug P. Armature 1S) or' relay R1 falls -baclt upon its Contact 15, and we have a circuit for the motor :nagnct of the sequence switchth-rough conductors 10, 18 and 10 and contact .fj-0 and-spring f'f, which brings thesequence switch to its third position. At this time, the contacts y* andy/5 opeiucutting ull' batteryrom rclafy lt and causingthealistant.apparatus to release andreturn to normal.' .l'f upon its re# lease the trunk L, L22 could at once be seized by another' selector at the outgoing.- extremity, the controlling uupulses sent over.

it might be inutilatcd as a result ofthe 'off normal position of the distant apparatus 5,

iso

f tre*m ies of the trunk through contact g2.

ent upon the Contact gef sirenes or fthis were not. the case7 it would he necessary that the new call over the trunk shouldhe delayed until the normal position had heen resumed. instead ol? permittingT this, the busy condition o' the trunk is maintained by -selc S, the brush 53 of which is held upon the test contact by the retaining pawl, magnet H being energized in the'tliird position of the sequence switch The restoration of the distant apparatus controlled by relay R will. consume a maximum time, which may be determined. During at least this time, the selector S holds its brushes upon the terminals of the trunk, controlled-by the time mechanism l) since the. energization of the magnet lll is continued through the fourth or final position oli' the sequence switch, and its movement to said fourth position and from it t'oncrx'nal are brought about by current from `battery B2 through theground furnished at the cylinder 3. The third'posit-ion is lretained until. a segment .reaches the 'bresil 5% This may he the entire time necessary for an insulating segment 5 to pass under the brush, jnejviously indicated, o- `e second; or it may he some shorter time, `spending' upon angular relation of thc cylindermfhen the sequence switch is shifted from the second position. ,'lhen the ground at the time. mechanism gives a battery circuit for the motor magnet m by way or conductors ill, lil and 2l, through spring il and Contact g, whereupon the sequence switch talles its last position. The resumption of the normal position is now dependand the brush i?, he motor magnet m being the circuit from over the path just indicated to the spring f8, then by contact gw, brush z'f" to ground. This can only" occur after themechanism has measured oli' a full time interval. As the sequence switch to the position, the Contact g3 opens, mag'- net il. releases the pawl V71 and the selector conductor and returns to normal., removing the busy conon from the trunk and renderingit free to be appropriated for another call, Thus the electronischenisms at the opposite ei:-

have been successively the sequence switchA` with a pcing which deiined between a minimum limit suliicient to accomplish the results sought, and a maximum limit which is so small that it is not wasteful of time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. ln a telephone system, the. combination with switching mechanism adapted to assume a plurality o' circuit controlling positions, of a motor magnet tor the switchinc; mechanism, a source of electrical ein ry', and a time mecianism for deterniiir c; the time interval between advances ci i si-vitching mecha: troni one circuit ele said source incircuit with the motor mecha nism to operate the switching mechanism from one circuit controlling" position to another witlnn'a definite time interval,

said circuit extending through contacts of the' switching mechanism which latter governs at said contacts the reception of energy by its motorhnechanism through the connecting means.

The combination of a sequence switch hai-ingr,v contacts adapted by operation of the switch to be actuated in definite order or cycle, a motor mechanism -for c] crating the switch, an actuating' circuit motor nieclmnislu extending through and controlled by a a time. mechanism in said actuating cir- 'cuit acting at times within predetermined limits to also control said circuit and thereby determine the time interval between successive operations of the switch contacts,

-l The combination ot' a sequence switch having contacts adapted by operation of the switch to-be actuated in delinite order to thereby perform a cycle of circuit controlling operations in fixed succession, associated electro-mechanisms including a motor-mechanism for the sequence switch, circuits for said mechanisms extending through and controlled by contacts of the sequence. switch, and a time mechanism in one of the aforesaid circuits which includes the motor mechanism and a. contact of the switch, said time lmechanism acting at times within predetermined limits to control said circuit and thereby determine the time interval between successive operationsv of the switch contacts.

The combination with a. sequence switch providedI with contact devices and a motor magnet, of a source of electrical energy for the motor magnet, a 'current interruptor associated with'said source of electrical. energy and acting to determine a time interval between movements of the sequence switch from tion to another, and circuits of the magnet, source of electrical energy and interruptor completed through different contacts oi the "equence switch. v

G. The combination with a telephone line of diferent electromechanisms for said contact of the switch, `andl one switching posi-r `motor SL associated 215 nsms, and means or'operating the switched to assume circuit controlling positions therewith, a siif'itching electroi'nechanism l adapted upon its energization to control one of the tirst-named electromechanisms and upon its f urther energization to control another of said electromcchanisms, and means for automaticallY i determining the time interval'hetween the energizations of the switching electromechanism.

7. The comhinationwith a trunk line, ot releasable electromechanisms associated witl'rthe outgoing and incoming extremities of the trunk line, means associated with the outgoing extremity ot the trunk line for releasing the mechanism at the opposite end and after a time interval suilicient for the restoration of said mechanism operat-` ing to release the mechanism at the outgoing end.

8. The combination with a telephoneline, of re'leasable electromechanisms associated therewith, a switching mechanism adapted to assume circuit controlling positions for the successive release of the electromechaing mechanism at predetermined time intcrvals.

S). The combination with a telephone line, of releasable eleetromechaaisms associated therewith, and switching mechanism adaptlor the (successive release of the electromcchamsms, motor mechanism for the switchingmechanism, an@L means for applying current to the motor mechanism at definite time intervals.

l0. rlfhc combination with 'trunk line. of a selector provided with release miel nism at one extremity oi' the triiisl; line, other apl'miatiis having release mechanism at the opposite extremity o the 'trunk line, and a sequence switch haring iiitlepenclel'rl. contacts controlling the release mechanisms.

ll. The combination with a trunk line, ot a selector 'provided with release mechanism, other apparatus haring release mechanism, a sequence switch haring contacts controlling the release mechanisms, and time mechanismgoverning the movea ment of the sefiliience s Jitch.

1Q.. The combination with a trunk line, of a selector provided with release mechanism, other apparatus having' release mechanism, a sequence switch having contacts controlling the release mechanisms, and time mechanism connected through con tacts of the sequence switch togovern its movement. v

In testimon7 whereof, have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot two siihscrihing Witnesses, this twenty- 'oiirtli clay of April, 3.911.

W itncsses i 

